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The German Government in summer 2000 introduced the highly successful “German Green Card” for IT professionals to cope with the continuing shortage of qualified IT professionals in Germany. The programme launched by Federal Chancellor Schroder radically streamlined and speeded up the process of bringing in non-EEA nationals to work as IT professionals in Germany.
There have been more than 13.000 German Green Cards issued since the programme was introduced, with Indian nationals being the largest single group to benefit from the programme.
The German Green Card programme has been highly effective in attracting key IT staff to Germany. However, the German Government have recently confirmed that this programme will end after 31st July 2003.
The technology sector in Germany will probably now have to apply for ‘conventional’ German work permits. These work permits take from 2 to 3 months to process including the time it takes to advertise the vacancy in the local labour market. You can avoid this if you are a multinational company sending key staff to Germany for up to two years on an “Internal transfer” which can be completed in 2 to 3 weeks.
If you are an employer and still wish to benefit from the German Green Card Scheme you should make sure you apply before 31 July 2003!
Further information on the ‘internal transfer’ scheme and German Green Cards, etc can be obtained by sending an e-mail including full details of the vacancy togermany@workpermit.com
If you are an employer wishing to make a German Green Card application e-mail us at germany@workpermit.com.
